1. Field of the Invention
Recently, conflicting demands have arisen in certain areas of car design. More particularly, an automotive vehicle is now required to have a car body with an engine room which is comparatively short in length and low in height, i.e., a short nose, low bonnet type car body. However, the car body must also have a high structural rigidity. In order to satisfy these design demands, the front body structure of a car body, in the location in which head lamps are installed, must be carefully designed.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventionally, the front body structure of a car body, in the location in which a head lamp is installed, includes a wheel apron, disposed on each side of the car body. The wheel apron is typically welded, or otherwise secured, to the back of a panel disposed on a front side of the car body. A front frame, extending in a lengthwise direction of the car body, may be secured, at its front end portion, to the panel, and an upper shroud member may be welded, or otherwise secured, to the wheel aprons at a front end of the car body. The upper shroud member is formed with a hole, or opening, to receive and hold a head lamp near a lower portion thereof. This front body structure is desirable in order to provide the necessary space for the head lamp and the necessary rigidity to the car body. Such a car body front body structure is known from, for instance, Japanese utility model application No. 62-60878, entitled "Dash Panel Structure for Automotive Vehicle," filed on April 22, 1987, and published as Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication No. 63-168167 on Nov. 1, 1988.